ClickerExpo LIVE 2024: The Foundation Curriculum

There are so many opportunities to learn at ClickerExpo LIVE! With 50 courses and multiple course formats, there is something for every experience level, every learning style, and nearly every area of interest. How do you choose? Use the ClickerExpo LIVE 2024 Foundation Curriculum as your guide.

If you are new to clicker training (even if you are very experienced in other dog/animal training areas), the Foundation Curriculum maps out recommended training courses during the three days of ClickerExpo LIVE. In some time slots, you will see more than one choice—no worries! Choose the one that seems to be the best fit for you. You will be able to watch the other course offerings at a later time; they are recorded and will be available on our Video on Demand platform.

All of our Foundation Curriculum picks teach science in an entertaining way, help you learn critical skills, and instill a foundation for excellence.

Please refer to the narrative description Should Beginners Come to ClickerExpo? for additional information about attending ClickerExpo as a novice.

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Before the Event

Before the event starts, review our helpful resources including Choosing Courses, the FAQs, and the Attendee Resource Center.

DAY 1 - Friday, January 26, 2024

7:00 am-7:45 am Pacific Time

8:00 am-10:00 am Pacific Time

Ken’s course on generalization and stimulus control covers critical topics that are relevant for all trainers. But, if you can’t resist heartwarming, cuddly fun that will also illustrate some key training lessons, feel free to join Chirag and his guinea pigs!

Generalization and Stimulus Control: A Key to Successful Training - Extended

Ken Ramirez

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Aggression & Behavior Management, Competition, Equine, Other Species, Science, Shelter & Rescue, Skill, Veterinary

Description: There are many factors that contribute to success in professional training environments. However, in the working dog world, where practitioners possess skills in training specific behaviors such as explosive detection, search and rescue techniques, and guide dog skills, the primary challenge often lies in transferring those behaviors to real-world scenarios and effectively managing the distractions that occur in everyday life.

In addressing this challenge, some trainers have historically relied on punishers to prevent animals from reacting to distractions and to help them stay focused on the task at hand. Nevertheless, professional trainers have increasingly recognized the negative consequences associated with the use of aversive tools. As they seek positive solutions, Ken has introduced the concept of better stimulus control through gradual exposure to unique and ever-changing environments.

By implementing a structured desensitization program, Ken has successfully improved the effectiveness and reliability of working dogs worldwide. A similar approach has also been utilized to enhance husbandry training within the zoological community. Teaching animals to anticipate the unexpected and improving stimulus control through systematic desensitization can revolutionize day-to-day training in numerous professional contexts.

Join Ken in this Dem-OH! Session as he demonstrates the process and procedures he employs to achieve successful training outcomes in working dog environments, where success can mean the difference between life and death. Discover how this same approach can be applied to a wide variety of training situations.

Practical Lessons from Guinea Pigs

Chirag Patel

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Aggression & Behavior Management, Other Species, Science, Skill, Teaching Others

Description: Are you ready to explore the fascinating world of training through the lens of adorable guinea pigs? Join Chirag and his herd of 12 super cute guinea pigs as they demonstrate the practical application of behavior science.

In this Dem-OH!, we will navigate the challenges of managing multiple learners that live together in a social group. We will delve into the art and science of arranging environments to minimize conflict behaviors and maximize desired behaviors within the herd in practical ways. This Session presents a unique opportunity to learn effective techniques for working with multiple learners simultaneously.

Even if you don't work directly with guinea pigs, this Session is highly relevant to you. The principles and strategies we will cover are universally applicable to all learners and can be adjusted and applied to the learners you work with.

During this Dem-OH!, we will engage in training sessions, discussions, and answer your specific questions.

10:30 am-12:30 pm Pacific Time

Discover the Power of Strategic Reinforcement Events

Michele Pouliot

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Competition, Skill, Teaching Others

Description: Michele Pouliot has established herself as a leading figure in multiple training fields. Her deep understanding and extensive work with hundreds of animals has made her a practitioner and advocate for helping trainers learn strategic reinforcement—specific reinforcment choices and procedures that enhance communication and accelerate training progress.

It is through this approach that Michele continuously refines and elevates her training outcomes. Each year, the animals she trains teach her new valuable lessons about its potency.

The core of Michele's approach encompasses a deliberate arrangement of what, how, and where reinforcement is delivered. This approach includes the selection of rewards, the placement of the reward stash, and the actual delivery location, collectively known as the reward event.

While well-timed clicks or other markers serve as powerful cues that communicate the specific behavior being reinforced, the intricacies of the reward event significantly impact the accuracy and value of this communication. The individual animal's response to the marker and their subsequent reactions to what follows—the initiation of reinforcement delivery—reveal invaluable insights for the trainer. These reactions provide guidance and direction on how to proceed or adjust a training session. For example, the details of the learner's reinforcement environment and experiences often provide critical information that can substantially influence the trainer's choices regarding communication with the animal. Additionally, the manner in which reinforcement is acquired holds immense communication power.

Through strategic reinforcement, trainers can expedite an animal's learning process and cultivate enthusiasm for learning. It is a profoundly impactful aspect of clicker training that many trainers have yet to fully harness.

Join Michele as she demonstrates the power of strategic reinforcement events, helps you harness the potential derived from making reinforcement events effective, and discover the profound communication abilities available that will enhance your training practice.

Please note: This course was presented at a prior ClickerExpo. The course content will be similar, but the training is LIVE so the experience will be unique and you’ll likely learn something new!

1:00 pm-3:00 pm Pacific Time

Is Positive Reinforcement a Gateway Drug: The Intrinsic-Extrinsic Motivation Debate

Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D.

Course Type: Webinar
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Aggression & Behavior Management, Science, Shelter & Rescue, Teaching Others, Veterinary

Description: The intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation debate is really a story about cultural values. But what does it even mean to say that behavior should be maintained by intrinsic reinforcement? Despite each of our personal experiences about how behavior works, some people value the idea of behaving in a world without tangible rewards. This point of view is often applied to dog training as trainers defend themselves from epithets like “the cookie pushers!” In the face of this debate, it is exactly the right time to shine the light of science on the question: Is it desirable, or even possible, to learn without extrinsic consequences? In this lecture, Susan discusses the research on this ongoing debate to better support an understanding of the two opposing points of view and discusses why understanding the role of tangible outcomes benefits learners.

Please note: This course was originally presented at an in-person ClickerExpo and has been reimagined and reinvented for the LIVE environment.

3:30 pm-5:30 pm Pacific Time

Time for a brain break! These three choices will broaden your perspective but will also give your brain a little break from the deep training dive you have taken today. If you want to see how the principles of R+ training translate into teaching and see a great coach at work, join Lori Stevens for her coaching Lab. If you are a horse trainer, join Peggy Hogan to hear answers to many equine training questions. Finally, the inclusion and diversity discussion will create connections between the training concepts and techniques that you are learning and the importance of inclusion and diversity.

Coaching Lab: In Real Time, Virtually

Lori Stevens

Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: Intermediate
Topic: Aggression & Behavior Management, Health & Wellness, Other Species, Science, Skill, Teaching Others

Spotlight Spot Prerequisites: We will have approximately four (4) Animal/Handler Spotlight Teams. To participate, teams will need access to a platform and a yoga mat.

This Lab is all about coaching others more effectively; participating teams should be currently teaching classes and/or coaching private clients.

Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate from home with their own animals, alongside the teams but without faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!

Description: This Learning Lab will focus on coaching others successfully. Lab participants will work one at a time. Lori will coach each participant through a small number of repetitions while the participant teaches a “simple” behavior. Lori will discuss her coaching choices, i.e., why she chose to offer a particular bit of feedback. This Lab will be positive, encouraging, dynamic, respectful, and kind.

As Lori discusses observation skills and how she approaches coaching, she will cover these topics:

What’s the goal when you give feedback?
- the coach-goal and the trainer-goal
How to provide feedback to others
- words and tone matter
- the importance of being specific
Observe what is working and what could be improved
- Where to start with feedback and why?
The importance of: (set-up and the ABCs)
- the environment
- the antecedent
The behavior(s)/approximations
- the consequence
Observing the entire cycle or loop
How much is too much feedback?
When to provide feedback? How often?
How to check your own coaching for each session

Ask and Dem-OH!: Great Questions Answered via Demonstration

Peggy Hogan

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Equine

Description: Join Peggy and her Dem-OH! helpers as they share solutions and answer the most commonly asked questions. This Session will include demonstrations of answers as well! We will explore these common challenges:

I can't catch my horse.
My horse is rough when he takes food.
I don't have hours in my day to train. How do I train my horse to do what I need?
My horse won't move.
My horse has separation anxiety.
My horse is afraid of the vet.
Do I always have to have food with me when I train?

Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions of their own—and see Peggy and her team demonstrate the answers.

Let's Talk about Inclusion & Diversity in Dog Training with Ken Ramirez, Jennifer Kolar, Sarah Rodriguez, and August Stockwell, Ph.D.

Ken Ramirez, Jennifer Kolar, Sarah Rodriguez, and August Stockwell, Ph.D.

Course Type: Panel
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Human, Business, Teaching Others

Description: Join this discussion on inclusion, centered around the unique experiences of individuals working with or identifying as neurodivergent or physically disabled. Ken Ramirez will moderate the discussion alongside panelists Jennifer Kolar, Sarah Rodriguez, and August Stockwell, Ph.D.. Are you ready for an important dialogue that offers unique perspectives? Let's Talk!

6:00 pm-7:00 pm Pacific Time

After a long day of learning, take this time to share knowledge and insight, address training challenges, meet peers who are from your area or have similar interests, and more through The Connection Section social event.

DAY 2 - Saturday, January 27, 2024

8:00 am-10:00 am Pacific Time

It’s going to be a good day! We’re kicking it off with two fabulous options. You’ve learned the importance of setting up your animal for success. Now, learn to set yourself up for success with Emelie Johnson Vegh. Alternatively, watch Ken Ramirez and Eva Bertilsson coach Chirag Patel as he trains guinea pigs (especially fun if you missed the guinea pig session on Friday).

Building a Better Trainer: How to Become the Best Trainer You Can Be

Emelie Johnson Vegh

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Topic: Competition, Equine, Health & Wellness, Other Species, Skill, Teaching Others, Veterinary

Description: Join Emelie Johnson-Vegh for a Session on setting yourself up for success, just as you do with your learners. We often find ourselves dreaming and planning, only to fall short in execution or face unexpected challenges. This can lead to self-criticism and feelings of inadequacy. Emelie will address these common hurdles and guide you in treating yourself with the same skill and compassion you show your learners. The Session will focus on developing behaviors that aid in effective planning, enhancing mechanical skills, and positioning yourself for success.

During this Dem-OH!, Emelie will collaborate with four trainers to help them establish a sustainable training framework. You will have the opportunity to follow the discussions, witness Emelie's insightful questions, and benefit from her valuable suggestions. Gain firsthand knowledge of tips and techniques to train yourself to become the best animal trainer you can be!

Who Is the Guinea Pig Now?

Chirag Patel, Eva Bertilsson, and Ken Ramirez

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Other Species, Science, Skill, Teaching Others

Description: Get ready to witness an exciting learning experience as Chirag takes the learner's seat and buckles up for a remarkable journey back to school. He is filled with anticipation and excitement as his teachers for this period are the amazing Eva Bertilsson and Ken Ramirez.

During this Session, Eva and Ken will use their coaching expertise to guide Chirag through interactive and engaging training sessions with his beloved guinea pigs. This unique opportunity allows you to observe first-hand the effectiveness of coaching techniques and practical training in action.

Immerse yourself in the demonstration as Eva and Ken apply practical strategies and principles from behavior science to help Chirag train his guinea pigs. Witness the power of positive reinforcement, shaping, and other behavior modification techniques in action. Even if you don't work with guinea pigs directly, rest assured that this Session will provide you with a wealth of practical applications that can be translated to various learning contexts.

Every day is a school day, and this session promises to be an invaluable opportunity for professional growth and learning. Don't miss out on the chance to observe exceptional coaching in action and gain practical insights to enhance your teaching and training practices.

10:30 am-12:30 pm Pacific Time

Hannah Branigan’s course will help you broaden your thinking about reinforcement and learning as skills. The course is geared toward people with Intermediate skills, but don’t be intimidated if you are a beginner. The key takeaway is still clear; sometimes several natural reinforcers need to be cultivated to have the power we expect!

Nurture & Nurture: Cultivating Effective Reinforcers

Hannah Branigan

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Topic: Competition, Skill

Description: Many trainers get stuck by thinking of reinforcement as a static entity. However, there are numerous ways to enhance existing reinforcers and even create new ones from scratch. By applying effective training principles and recognizing reinforcement processes as learnable skills, you gain greater control over the strength of your reinforcers and, consequently, enhance the power and efficiency of your training. This session aims to delve into the factors influencing the effectiveness of reinforcers and provide strategies for cultivating more robust reinforcement procedures.

Please note: This course was originally presented at an in-person ClickerExpo and has been reimagined and reinvented for the LIVE environment.

1:00 pm-3:00 pm Pacific Time

In this block, we recommend Big Thoughts for Small Dogs with Emma Parsons. While the laws of learning are universal, we adapt their implementation to our learners; training small dogs is a good example of the adaptations that can be used.

Big Thoughts for Small Dogs: Their Training and Behavior

Emma Parsons

Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Skill

Spotlight Spot Prerequisites: We will have approximately six (6) Animal/Handler Spotlight Teams. Teams should have been training together for at least three months. To participate, you will need a variety of treats and food-puzzle toys that the dog will eat/engage with readily.

Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate from home with their own animals, alongside the teams but without faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!

Description: Why is training small dogs sometimes perceived as a "special case" of challenge? While we must be clear in communication with dogs of all sizes, there are certain complexities associated with training small dogs. For instance, unintentional body pressure can hinder their learning process. Have you ever tried to give a treat to your small dog, only to have them back away from your outstretched hand? Undesirable behaviors in small dogs can arise even with the best intentions. For instance, when we pick them up out of concern when another dog approaches, they may develop reactive behaviors. What can we do about that?

In this Learning Lab, dog/handler teams will not only focus on obedience cues such as Loose-Leash Walking and Rock-Solid Stays but also on emergency behaviors that can help keep small dogs safe in challenging environments. We will also address common reactivity and aggression issues that often affect small dogs. Join Emma Parsons for this exceptional course that will provide you new big thoughts on training small dogs.

3:30 pm-5:30 pm Pacific Time

What a choice! Mark both of these courses because you will want to watch each of them. Never fear, what you can’t view during ClickerExpo LIVE, you can watch after LIVE with the recordings. Train That Chain is our top recommendation for trainers who are not versed in the critical concept and skill of chaining behaviors. The use of non-food reinforcers is our second recommendation. It’s more of an advanced topic, but it’s a topic that is essential for long-term training success.

Train That Chain: Behavior Chains

Laura VanArendonk Baugh

Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: Foundation
Topic: Competition, Science, Skill

Spotlight Spot Prerequisites: We will have approximately 3 dog/handler teams. Spotlight teams should have a minimum of 5 behaviors on cue. It is recommended that the behaviors be relatively quick ("sit" is better than "collect those 20 sheep from way over there") and performed fluently. While a variety of cue types (verbal, visual, tactile, etc.) are welcome, there is no specific requirement regarding the number of cue types.

Attendees who are not part of an Animal/Handler Spotlight Team can still participate alongside the teams with their own animals from home, but they will not receive faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That's fine, too!

Description: Behavior chains are powerful tools that enable the execution of complex tasks and provide flexible solutions. However, they are also a magnet for superstitious trainer behaviors and confusion. Laura VanArendonk Baugh emphasizes that chains don't have to be as complicated as we tend to perceive them. If your behaviors are fluent and under stimulus control, you already have a chain! Let's embrace this challenge. In this Lab, we will gather individual behaviors and combine them into a chain. We will explore how to evaluate if behaviors are prepared for chaining, experiment with their order, and delve into the important aspects of cueing and chain execution.

Please note: This course was presented at a prior ClickerExpo. The course content will be similar, but the training is LIVE so the experience will be unique and you’ll likely learn something new!

Love It! Effective Use of Non-Food Reinforcers

Ken Ramirez

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Topic: Aggression & Behavior Management, Competition, Equine, Other Species, Science, Shelter & Rescue, Skill, Veterinary

Description: The effective use of non-food reinforcers is a critical skill that all trainers will likely use or need at some point in their training careers. The ability to use non-food reinforcers is extremely useful but requires both an understanding of their role in training and a well-thought-out training approach. This Dem-OH! will focus on how novel stimuli, like clapping and verbal praise, become reinforcers.

Ken will delve into both how to create new reinforcers as well as explain the keys to using play, toys, and tactile as reinforcers effectively. Ken will conduct live demonstrations of these techniques with his own dogs. This Session will help attendees gain valuable insights about how to maintain the strength of these unique reinforcers. Join Ken for an encore presentation of this LIVE Dem-OH! version of one of his most popular lecture topics.

Please note: This course was presented at a prior ClickerExpo. The course content will be similar, but the training is LIVE so the experience will be unique and you’ll likely learn something new!

6:00 pm-7:00 pm Pacific Time

DAY 3 - Sunday, January 28, 2024

8:00 am-10:00 am Pacific Time

How do you want to start your day? For inspiration, amazement, and amusement, see how the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D., use training and behavior tools in cooperative care with lions and pelicans. Alternatively, explore how to put into practice the key concept of differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors with Kiki Yablon. This is one way positive reinforcement trainers can help animals turn the corner on undesirable behavior. This course is a bit advanced, but hey, this is Day 3.

Innovation Through Collaboration: What’s New at the Zoo 4 –Lions & Pelicans!

Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D.

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Aggression & Behavior Management, Health & Wellness, Other Species, Science, Skill, Teaching Others, Veterinary

Description: Nobody can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it." (H.E. Luccock) These wise words reflect our ongoing goal as collaborators at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to improve animal welfare through innovative training programs. In this lecture, Behavior Curator Rick Hester and applied behavior analyst Susan G. Friedman, Ph. D., invite you to observe their live behavior consultations with zookeepers teaching a “pride” of lions and a pod (a pouch, a scoop, a squadron, and a fleet) of pelicans to actively participate in husbandry and medical care.

Training With the Grain: Choosing Better Alternative Behaviors

Kiki Yablon

Course Type: Learning Lab
Skill Level: Intermediate
Topic: Aggression & Behavior Management, Science, Skill

Spotlight Spot Prerequisites: We will have approximately four (4) spotlight participants. Participants should come with at least one problem scenario that they would like to work on. This Lab is for people; there's no need to have your dog ready—let your dog rest! The focus will be on trainer skills.

Attendees who are not Spotlight Participants can still follow along from home, but without faculty feedback. Prefer to sit back and observe? That’s fine, too!

Description: When learners exhibit behaviors that we find undesirable, instead of punishing the routes we don't like, we can provide alternative routes to important reinforcers. This life-changing concept, called differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, is a cornerstone of problem-solving with positive reinforcement. On the surface, it sounds very simple: we just ask, “What do you want instead?” and proceed to teach it. However, reality is seldom so straightforward. One common reason for the failure of this approach is that the alternative behaviors go “against the grain” in a given situation. That is, they’re above the dog’s current pay grade, or they are easy in other settings but incredibly hard in the problem context. For instance, we might ask for laser-focused eye contact instead of fixating on an intimidating dog, or expect the dog to remain still on a mat instead of leaping on visitors. We may request the dog to come, then touch, and finally sit with extended duration instead of bolting away. We might even aim for a general "sit and stay" instead of...well, everything! When the dog inevitably falls short, the frustrated owner dismisses our plan. The key to the success of this approach is choosing the appropriate alternative behavior for the task at hand—think existing skills, easier behaviors, faster behaviors, fewer behaviors at a time, more physically comfortable behaviors, behaviors that are more likely to access naturally-occurring reinforcers, behaviors that aren't typically “trained." In this Learning Lab, each participant will bring a problem scenario that they would like to address, and as a group, we will discuss and brainstorm ways to "train with the grain.”

10:30 am-12:30 pm Pacific Time

For the new student of training, seeing how one trains cats is eye-opening! We recommend that you see how Melissa Millett works with cats because training a new species is a key component of training education. Alternatively, drop in on the problem-solving panel discussion to hear how R+ trainers develop solutions to “problems”.

Meow Mix: Training Complex (and Astounding) Cat Behaviors

Melissa Millett

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Topic: Other Species, Skill

Description: In this Dem-OH!, Melissa will share her expertise training cats to perform a variety of complex behaviors confidently, on sets and in front of crowds! How does she maintain and build routines with cats? Set up training sessions? Train for this level of behavioral and environmental complexity?

Melissa will be practicing in real time with her three cats, each with different personalities and strengths. You will watch problem-solving in real time, as Melissa practices a multi-cat stay and recreates her training for the Lo Show dei Record, the Guinness World Records Show in Italy where Sashimi acquired a second GWR in front of a live studio audience.

Cat routines, handstands, skateboarding, driving mini cars—and more!

Let's Talk about Problem-solving and Aggression with Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Terrie Hayward, Emma Parsons, and Michael Shikashio

Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Terrie Hayward, Emma Parsons, and Michael Shikashio

Course Type: Panel
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Aggression & Behavior Management, Human, Other Species, Science, Skill, Teaching Others

Description: Join this discussion on problem-solving and animal aggression with moderator Laura VanArendonk Baugh and panelists Terrie Hayward, Emma Parsons, and Michael Shikashio. Don’t miss their lively discussion, unique perspectives, and the expertise of some of the best authorities on aggression. Let’s Talk!

1:00 pm-3:00 pm Pacific Time

Learn The Rules So You Can Break Them: Balancing Structure With Innovation

Sarah Owings

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Skill

Description: Two of the hallmarks of excellent training are the ability to create a plan and the ability stick to clear criteria. But successful trainers are also flexible, and adept at altering their plans based on feedback from their learners in the moment. Newer trainers often benefit from step-by-step guidelines and a rule book to follow. More experienced trainers seem to know when and how they can break the rules.

Finding the right balance between rule-following and rule-bending (or rule-breaking) is important. If a training session is structured too tightly, protocol can upstage the learner. A training session that is too open-ended can result in lumping, confusion, or slow progress. When you know how to achieve the right balance, you can find the right starting point for a training project with confidence and deftly avoid getting stuck along the way to completion.

In this LIVE Dem-OH!, learn to structure, assess, and continually improve training sessions while leaving room for innovation. Instead of getting stuck in the paralysis that can come from over-planning, discover the joy of letting your learner lead the way. Participants will each be given a training challenge. We will use Three-Act Training and the Brave Learning Rubric to tackle the challenges effectively one refinement at a time.

Join Sarah Owings and get comfortable with a little rule-breaking!

Please note: This course was originally presented at an in-person ClickerExpo and has been reimagined and reinvented for the LIVE environment.

3:30 pm-5:30 pm Pacific Time

Setting the Stage for Success

Michele Pouliot

Course Type: Dem-OH!
Skill Level: All Levels
Topic: Competition, Skill, Teaching Others

Description: What is meant in training by “setting the stage,” “paving the way,” and “greasing the wheels?” How often have you heard “Set up the learner for success.” They all are phrases that are meant to prepare the training environment and conditions for a desired behavior or occurrence. But are you doing that effectively? Intentionally? Optimally?

Managing the training environment and setting it up for success creates antecedents that assist and even trigger the learner toward a goal behavior. Once a goal behavior can be prompted, the trainer can build a reinforcement history for that desired behavior. Setting up an environment can be using a similar scenario that prompts behavior for a majority of learners or customizing the environment to prompt that behavior from other individuals. Effective antecedent arrangements also include making undesirable behavior unlikely to happen.

Join Michele Pouliot in this Dem-OH! and dive into the process of setting up learners for success. Michele will be training LIVE with her own dogs, training totally new or “in-process” behaviors as examples of setting up for success. The demonstrations will be of pre-planning details to create environments that make specific behaviors likely to occur. A challenge for the trainer can be to recognize quickly when a “set-up” is not working well and needs modification. Extensive pre-planning may quickly show itself to be ineffective for that individual learner. In that case, training should stop and the antecedents should be modified to better prompt goal behavior.

Antecedent arrangements for individual learners will include the physical environment available, visual distractions present, luring methods, reinforcement strategies, trainer location, motivating operations, and developing behavior cues.

This 2-hour Session will be a combination of a presentation and LIVE training sessions. There will be a 5-minute break partway through the 2-hour Session.

6:00 pm-7:00 pm Pacific Time

That's a wrap! Join Ken Ramirez for an inspirational Closing Session.

Closing Session: Training in the Field

Ken Ramirez

Description: Join Ken Ramirez for this inspiring closing session. After a brief wrap up of ClickerExpo, Ken will provide an update on his elephant conservation project. He will also review past projects and discuss some of the measures of success or failure for each one. He will share the monumental challenges of overcoming significant obstacles, but he will also share the reasons for hope and explain why he continues to take on new projects each year!

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ClickerExpo LIVE program and faculty subject to change.